Black Dreams
by Liath Shadow
Summary: Ranma has had a harder life than you see in the anime or the manga. Several things have happened in his younger years that have caused a major impact on his emotional maturity, and his sense of honor. minor edits, teaser for chapter 4 posted
1. The Fall

This is a warning to everyone: This story is very dark, and not likely to become bright and happy any time in the near future. Also, this story is not work safe in any way, shape, or form. Herein is a story of mature subject matter, if you don't think you can handle the idea of sex, violence, rape, and other aspects of pain, put this story aside, go elsewhere, and read happier stories.

Disclaimer: All rights of all the characters herein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and the various syndicates that publish her works. I am but a poor writer that doesn't get paid for her work.

Shadowed Edge writing

Presents

Black Dreams

By Shadow Dancer

------------------

I can feel it, still. The nightmares continue to haunt me, from when Father sold me. So many times he has sold me, for food, for money. Rarely, rarely, did he ever care what happened to me while I was with those other people.

"Martial artists protect the weak!" he tells me, he teaches me. 'Who protects the martial artist,' I whisper in the depths of my mind.

Before now...I was a young boy. I was sold to many people, to feed my father, to pay for the training that I received. "Take my son," he told the people, "teach him what you know."

Many forms of martial arts I learned this way. Many...and yet sometimes he would sell me to feed himself. Food being his only passion larger than his desire for me to learn martial arts.

Before, he had sold me to two brothels, without knowing it. He saved me, all right.

Two days later.

I still wake up screaming, seeing into the eyes of old perverted men. The pain of them doing that to me. I longed to beat them, to hurt them...but they were weaker than I. Even though I was much much younger than them.

Father still apologizes for taking so long to retrieve me. Then berates me for being so weak. He promises to send me to another one, so as to 'get over my pain.'

He's an idiot.

After this last training ground, I want to go home. I don't want to go back to the brothel, no matter what he wants. I'm not a young boy anymore...I am almost a man in my own right. Nothing can make me go again, nothing...nothing.

Father jumps on a bamboo pole and yells at me to fight him. I shake off my thoughts. I need to focus if I'm to escape this training ground unscathed. The guide behind me yells, about curses, and I start, turning towards him. "What?" I exclaim. Forgetting for one instant...

That's all it takes. I feel a foot against my back, and then air slips past my face like silken cloth. Then a splash, and I land in one of the pools. I look up out of the water, thinking how easy it could be to just stay down here, breathe the water...and let go forever.

But then, that is giving up.

I never give up.

I push against the bottom of the pool, and yet feel a tug. I look down, surprised, almost gasping. Something holds at my pants. Something sharp. I reach down, struggle, and finally get my pants free...and the thing holding them as well. I hold it gingerly, and then push to the surface, towards the light.

I breathe in the air of life, gasping softly. I pull up what was at the bottom and look at it, in my hands. Tiny delicate hands hold an old blade. I'm not an expert in weapons, far from it. My father taught me primarily weaponless arts. Only weaponless arts. I turn the blade around in my hands, only barely seeing my hands. Ignoring the yelling of Father. It is maybe three hand spans long, this blade I rescued from the waters. Again I note that my hands are smaller than before.

I put the blade down, and look at my hands. Smaller, finer, more delicate. They show years of training, but are not as large as my hands used to be. Maybe they are weaker than before. I follow the lines of my hands to my arms. They, too, are smaller, finer, and yet also they speak of years of training. I look down to my chest. It is smaller than before...and yet larger at the same time. I pull open my shirt, looking...

Well, at least Father has a reason to call me a 'girl' now. I look up at him, and finally hear him yelling how I will never be a man among men. The guide mentions, quietly, yet loud enough that I can hear, that there is a temporary cure. That hot water will reverse the curse, until I get hit with cold water again.

Anger fills me as I glare at the one who did this to me, who forced me to become cursed like this. "Stupid old man," The words come out of my mouth in a snarl. He backs up slowly, holding his hands out. "You just had to come here didn't you? Had to train me in a forbidden training ground. Had to make me the best, just to appease your own inflated ego." I know, deep inside, that mine is just as bad when I'm not hurting, but I ignore it for now.

My hand lashes out, almost of its own accord. Strange, I don't remember picking the blade up again.

Father jumps up and back from me. Towards the pools. He reaches for a pole as he glides through the air...and misses. His massive bulk slips into a pool with a resonating splash.

I turn away, not wanting to look. My anger slips out of me as so much water pouring out of a glass. Tears fall from my eyes as I think, 'how much can he sell me for now?' I turn to the guide, asking, "What did Father promise you for payment?" knowing that he has no money to his name. He probably will bargain with my body...again.

"No need money sir. Is enough for a change, yes?" his eyes tell me differently. The eyes are the windows to the soul.

------------------

Hot breath over silken skin.

Hands touching. Caressing. Squeezing.  
Pain.

Skin over skin, elsewhere. Heated skin caressing.  
Pressure, pushing.  
More pain.

Movement, long and slow, fast and short. I try to ignore it. Push it out of my mind.

A grunt. Another.

He leaves.

I feel so dirty.

------------------

I sit here in my tent, almost dreading the coming of dawn. I know that soon Father will be barging in here, throwing me in some random body of water to wake me. He always desires practice. Not necessarily his practice, but most assuredly my own.

Throbbingly sore muscles state that whatever happens, Father WILL get the better of me today. And for a long time to come.

I am a man!

Or am I?

Am I just someone's play toy? Am I just someone's meal ticket?

Yes. No. I don't know.

I don't want to be like that.

The thought of becoming male again fills me with revulsion. Makes my stomach turn. Why would I want to be a man, in any way? My father is supposed to be a man among men. With him as a teacher, uncaring and greedy, I doubt I would want to ever be male like that. With other men I have...encountered, the doubt increases in really really large numbers. Sure there are the martial arts masters that Father had me train with. Most of them were very very good. But Father is also supposed to be a martial arts master, and HE has ruined my life several times over.

Rustle of grass and dirt. A single pebble shifts position, being ground into dew soaked earth. Here comes Father, for the morning spar.

I don't want to be thrown today. It will probably hurt me...there.

I crawl out of the tent, easing aching muscles into motion. I tense and release them as I move, knowing well enough that that is about all the stretching I'll get until afterwards.

Father's panda form amuses me. Sure, I may have lost my gender, if only temporarily, but he has lost his humanity. If he ever had it, that is. Sometimes I wonder, is he truly my father? Or is he someone that just kidnapped me one day.

I roll to the side, coming up with my hands before me. There he is, the fat slob. A twinge from stressed muscles almost makes me wince, but I stop it just before it hits my face.

Pain hurts. Pain tells you you're alive.

Pain is a focus. Use your hurt to give it back to the one who hurt you.

I can't strike out at the guide. Not yet. But Father, him I can strike out at just fine. It's his fault that we are here without money. It's his fault that we came HERE.

It's his fault that I'm female right now.

Pain begets anger. Anger begets fury.

I really shouldn't be this angry, I reflect in an almost detached manner. Anger dulls the blade, clouds the heart. Anger clouds the focus, obscures the target.

Strike, strike, block, block-twist-counter. It's hard, oh so hard, to keep my blows focussed on Father's chest. My feet want to slip lower during my kicks. My fists want to fly higher. Father was only a couple inches taller than me before, but he's now almost a foot taller. Ten inches. Twenty-five centimeters. That much farther that I have to reach up to wipe that smirk off of his face.

"Growf!" Father exclaims as his paw slips past my guard, hitting me in the chest.

Pain blossoms. Exquisite pain. Tears threaten to cloud my vision, and it is only by effort of my entire will that I do NOT curl around my smashed breast. Cool wind caresses twitching skin. I can't tell if it hurts more in the air, or less. I do know that I have to replace this shirt. And I probably need several bandages as well.

"You see what happens when you shun weapons?" I snarl at my father as I redouble my efforts to beat him into unconsciousness. I see a flash of red as he swings at me again, and I chance a glance at his claws. Only the tip of the claws, all three of them, shows blood, and I wrench my gaze back onto his form as I counter his blow, finally landing a decent blow on his chest.

Pain spasms along my legs and I realize I can't keep this up for much longer. One block, two. I've lost the momentum, and it's going to bite me. Flashing paws, sunlight glinting off the claws, I twist, turn, avoiding that one, but it puts me in line for the other.

Flashing pain as Father strikes my leg. I try to move it, but it has cramped beyond my abilities. Half my mobility gone, it doesn't take Father more than a second to hit me twice more, launching me into a tree.

---SNAP--- I hear and feel, as I slam against the tree. Blood trickles down my leg, down my chest. Maybe down my back as well. I slide to the ground, unable to control my falling at all.

Father snarls at me, growfs at me. His paws wave spastically as blackness fills my sight.

I would fall asleep, I want to fall asleep, but the pain won't let me. I feel furred arms pick me up from the ground, away from my tree. I can feel my legs, so I don't think the damage is THAT bad.

I'm set gently on a bedroll, and I lay here, eyes closed, or open. Just feeling the pain takes everything I have. Especially where Father hit me, down there. Painfully, uncomfortably close to...there. I can feel water slipping along my face. Tears.

Real men don't cry.

I'm not a man. Not really. A real man doesn't get raped, it can't happen. Father said so, after that first 'mistake' of his.

Maybe it isn't like he says. Maybe it's a real man that has honour. A real man does what needs to be done, no matter the cost to himself.

I don't know.

Cramping, spasming muscles ease. Pain edges away, slowly...much more slowly than it arrived. I still ache there, but at least it doesn't hurt.

Fingers, at least I think they are fingers, pull at the tattered edges of my shirt, where Father's claws tore through the thin cotton. They trace downwards, to my pants. Tugging and teasing...apparently Father tore those open as well.

The sensation leaves. I'm left with my pain for I don't know how long.

Cloth warm above me, air around me warming. Talking, though muffled. Father's voice, and the guide's. Apparently Father used some of the water for tea to change back.

A splash in the distance, a scream. Another splash. Father's bulk leaving, not bothering to be silent. The guide's steps, noticeably heavier than Father's, even though the guide weighs less.

Silence.

I float on the pain, thinking no thoughts. Footsteps catch my attention again. For some reason I'm thinking of that blade again, the one I pulled from the waters. I remember the guide mentioning the spring being one thousand five hundred years old. Yet the metal of the blade was untarnished by the age.

Something in my hand, that my fingers close around on their own. The blade?

The tattered pain of injured nerves settles, as the blade warms in my hand. The shrieking pain from my breast eases and quiets, no longer so extreme. Still it hurts, but not as bad as before. The lacerations along my leg also ease their calls of pain, and finally, I can settle into sleep as the pain falls nearly silent.

------------------

I awaken, startled, to darkness, and to rustling sound. Cloth against cloth, like the flaps of my tent moving. Either in the wind or someone moving them by hand I don't know...yet. I peer around, my eyes drinking in what little light there is.

Surprising, there's more light than I first thought. A glimmer of moonlight from the open tent flap, and I see a faint blue light, about a candle's brightness, from my hand. I look at the intruder, without moving. If I'm to defend myself, I want to know who I am defending against...oh no.

"You already took your payment," I mutter softly, glaring at the guide's face.

"You here another day, your Father eat most of my food. With what you pay for that?" I wince at his reply, "You Father have no honour, do you?"

"Yes," I whisper, tears in my eyes again.

He grins, "Maybe I make it good for you, yes?" his green shifts to a leer as he gazes at my body in the faint light.

"You can't." I whisper, "It won't feel good. Ever."

"A challenge," still he leers at me.

I close my eyes, just so I don't have to see his face again. And so I don't have to watch him doing THAT again. My hand seems to want to reach for his face, the hand with the blade in it. ---No, --- I think, pushing the blade to my side, all the way to the edge of the tent. The light filtering through my eyelids brightens, and then the blue shifts to an ugly red, and my hand strains harder for Him.

I focus on my hand, letting go of the knife. Just as it leaves my fingers and lands on the ground, I feel a hand on my leg. It is another effort to keep from screaming or striking out. The hand slides up, over tortured leg muscles towards my...there. Another hand is at my leg, massaging around in circles, while the first does smaller and gentler circles around my orchid.

It's almost impossible to think that word, really. But the other names for it either don't feel right, or just plain frighten me. I feel him crawling closer, the one hand still at my orchid, and the other one now caressing up along my hips, and then higher. Feather light fingers trace circles along my stomach, and then slowly press harder, drawing a grunt from me even though I don't desire it. Heat building up between my legs, almost, and it feels almost like I'm...wet?

"No," I whisper, trying to pull away a bit. My head hits the other end of the tent, and He crawls closer still...his legs pinning mine. I feel a whimper at the back of my throat as I see that he has already removed his clothing, and mine is already missing. I don't know how, or when that happened, I thought I was dressed before falling asleep. I shut my eyes again, desperately, not wanting to SEE.

Sensation means I don't have to see, as I feel him pushing inside of me again. Filling me in a way eerily similar to so long ago, but not as much pain as before. Not even hurting like it did the night before. A tingling, almost like electricity, builds up in my middle, and arcs along to his hands...

His hands are wandering along my sides, up, caressing my breasts. I don't want to feel this way, but my body is taking me along for the ride. The almost electricity flickers between my orchid, and my breasts, back, and forth, growing with each movement. I twitch as I reach the point that used to mean exploding...and then pass it. Each movement he makes, each caress, driving me higher and higher.

Tears fall from my eyes. I don't want this. I just want to be left alone.

I gasp, as the electricity forms a ball deep inside, growing, growing. He grunts. Once. Twice. And that ball...explodes. Bouncing from my core, out to the edge of my skin, and back again, and again, and again. All that escapes from my throat a soft whimper, even as he finishes and crawls out again.

Muscles still a bit sore from the fight earlier twitch and shudder from the new sensations zinging through my body. Tears fall from my eyes, as I slip back into slumber.

------------------ 


	2. China Girl

This is a warning to everyone: This story is very dark, and not likely to become bright and happy any time in the near future. Also, this story is not work safe in any way, shape, or form. Herein is a story of mature subject matter, if you don't think you can handle the idea of sex, violence, rape, and other aspects of pain, put this story aside, go elsewhere, and read happier stories.

Disclaimer: All rights of all the characters herein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and the various syndicates that publish her works. I am but a poor writer that doesn't get paid for her work.

Shadowed Edge writing

Presents

Black Dreams

By Shadow Dancer

Chapter 2

------------------

I'm dreaming.

I must be dreaming.

I'm pretty sure I didn't fall asleep to navy blue mountains, a grape purple sky, or lemon yellow trees.

The blade I rescued from the pool lies on the silver grass before me, and I am sitting, facing the blade.

---Cut---

The thought comes from no-where, and everywhere. I feel an urge to cut those who have hurt me. To hurt them as they have hurt me, over and over, to return the pain they have gifted unto me.

"No," Soft words from my lips. I'm female right now, but I'm still male. Everything shimmers slightly, and I'm male again. My fingers seem to waver, as though seen through a heat haze in the height of summer.

---Why? ---

Again the thought drifts in from everywhere. I stare at the blade in front of me, frowning.

Pink rain falls around me as I ponder the question. "Because it isn't right," I finally answer. And it's true; it isn't right to injure people for hurting me in this way.

---You want to---

I roll my shoulders and look up at the fluffy green clouds, "Yes, I do. But cutting isn't the way. If I could show them the pain they give me, then..."

---Can---

I shake my head, closing my eyes, "No, I can't." Even with my eyes closed, the off-coloured world sits in my view. More proof that I'm asleep.

---I can---

I open my eyes, and look down at the blade.

"How can you?" I query, "You're just a blade, a pretty one, but still just a blade. I don't even know what kind of weapon you are."

---Not blade. Just weapon. ---

I snort, "Yeah, right. You're a weapon with an edge, so you're a blade. You couldn't make them feel my pain either, not unless you were..."

---Magic---

I look at the blade closer. I want to reach out, touch it.

"You're still a blade," I whisper, "I can't cut people. I just can't."

The blade shimmers in front of my eyes, and it's now a metal glove.

---Hit? ---

"Nnnnnnn...no." I reluctantly reply, "I can't hurt them more than they deserve. It's hard to gauge the damage with a weapon, you know?" I gaze at the glove, almost hesitant to reach out to touch it.

It shimmers again, becoming finer, more delicate. Looking almost like jewlery. Similar to the glove it was before, it goes around each finger, but not the entire finger. No, now it looks like rings, attached by chains to an ornate bracelet. Almost a bracer, if it weren't so thin.

---Touch---

I smile at the bracer-let. Or whatever it is. "Touching is fine, but can you...?"

---Yes---

A thought crosses my mind, "How long?" I want them to understand the pain they are giving me, but I don't want to hurt them unduly, not really.

---All---

"No," I reply quickly, "I don't want to hurt them like that. I just want them to understand."

---Understand? ---

"Yeah," I whisper, "I just want them to realize how it hurts when they do what they do."

---Day---

My eyes close as I think, and then I reach out, touching the silvery metal before me, "A day of knowing...sounds about right." I open my eyes, watching the bracer slip around my arm, the rings clipping to my fingers...and then fading away.

I stare at the sky, and fall back asleep.

------------------

I stir as I slowly slide to consciousness. I hear birds chirping, and soft breathing beside me. I roll over, wrapping my arms around something big, but not huge. Not Father. Not the guide either. My fingers twitch a bit, feeling fur underneath my admittedly indelicate fingers. Reminds me of a stuffed animal I had years ago, when I was still a little kid. I squeeze it gently, and my efforts are greeted with a soft whuff of expelled air. I curl closer around the furred thing, and try to slip back asleep.

Something wet in my ear defeats that idea, and I roll away from whatever it is, pulling my bedroll tighter around me.

Again the wet whatever, but in my other ear now. I swat at it, and come into contact with a muzzle of some kind. I blearily open my eyes, and look up at a black and white dog that seems strangely familiar.

"Shirokuro?" I mumble sleepily. The name reminds me of someone who owned the dog, but for some reason I can't remember. The dog whuffs, and then licks my ear again. Shirokuro is apparently wearing a yellow and black bandanna, which again reminds me of someone for some reason. No matter, I'll remember, eventually.

Same as the day before, the rustle of grass alerts me to my father's attempt to sneak up on me. I grin faintly at Shirokuro, and then slip outside of the tent, trying to see if I can sneak up on Father instead, this time.

"Stupid boy, you should be prepared for attack from any direction!" Apparently he's off to the other side this time.

I roll, and then jump, narrowly avoiding a kick. Blow after blow is parried or dodged, until I have my balance back. Strange, I'm not aching as much as I was yesterday...maybe I'm starting to heal faster, now. Block block punch block-parry-counter STRIKE!

Father falls back, slightly, then grins, "You'll have to do better than that, boy!" as he jumps and attacks once again.

After at least ten minutes of heavy sparring, Father finally decides to finish the bout by knocking me into another tree, and rushing for the breakfast that the guide had so helpfully set out. I manage to get a small portion of food, maybe enough for a single normal person, before Father eats the rest.

"We shall be moving on, now," Father declares as he finishes the portion of the food that he has claimed.

The guide grins and nods, "Yes sir. We go to Nyuchezu next, yes?"

"What's that?" I ask before Father can reply.

"Is village of Chinese Amazons," The guide's grin has that oily sheen to it that I've begun to notice on certain people, Father included.

"Can you tell us about them?" I ask, again before Father can reply. He glares at me as if I was spiting his supposed superiority.

"Women warriors, very strong," It is hard to keep from hitting the guide from his smug attitude. He notices my glare, and then adds, "is time for tournament, very good you watch."

Father scoffs, "Women warriors can't be strong. But it would be good to watch them. Right, boy?" I hate it when he does that. Asking me a question, then calling me 'boy', as though no matter what my answer is, it doesn't matter anyways.

"Yeah, whatever, Pops," This new voice of mine still sounds off to my ears. Maybe I'll get used to it in time.

We set out for the village, and stopped at noon for some food. Naturally, I had to fight with Father for my fair share of the food, and I held my own, for about two bites.

My stomach started roiling, and I had to quickly spit out everything I just ate, for fear that I'd bring up what was left of the dinner from the night before as well.

"What's the matter, boy? Can't stand to lose?" Father is enjoying himself, as usual. I don't mind the training, but I shouldn't have to compete for food as well as everything else. But today, something just seems wrong with the food. Nothing tastes quite right, and it's reacting badly with my stomach.

"Yeah, Pops, whatever." Again I just brush off his verbal assault, and then shrug, "You can have the rest. I guess I'm just not hungry."

They finished their meals rather quickly, and then we doused the fire, and continued on. I think it took us another three hours of steady marching to reach the village. Sure enough, the guide was right about there being a tournament here.

We step past the outlying buildings, and into a large open space, with houses all around. In the centre of the space is a large log suspended between four wooden poles. On top of the log are two girls...no, I should say women...fighting. One wielding what looks like a pair of brightly coloured balls on sticks, and the other one is wielding a pair of long curved blades. The one wielding the balled sticks looks to be at a severe weight and strength disadvantage, as the other girl towers over her and has a lot more muscle on her body. But even I know that appearances can be deceiving.

The two trade blows for nearly a minute, the one girl catching the blades of the other on her balled sticks, and the shimmering clash in the air tells me that those aren't wooden balls, but metal of one kind or another.

A growl catches my attention, and I look away from the fight, down at the dog at my side. Shirokuro is glaring and growling at something off to the side. I look over...and see Father eating from a huge pile of food that has a sign in front of it. Something tells me I shouldn't eat it...but I'm so hungry. I stumble over to the food, and I'm about to reach for some meat...when Shirokuro pushes my hand down. I look at the dog in confusion, and reach for a bun...and again the dog pushes my hand aside.

"But...I'm hungry," I whisper. Shirokuro looks into my eyes for a second, and then whuffs. She nudges my hand to the side from where I was reaching, over to the fruit. I blink, and then hesitantly reach for an apple...and she doesn't do anything. I pick up the fruit, and grimace at my stomach's grumbling. Shirokuro then pushes at me, over to the bench where I was sitting before. I smile at the dog, and then sit down, almost about to take a bite...but then something stops me. What if this reacts the same as before? Fear and doubt clouds my mind, until I resolve to try just a little.

Funny, there is a knife in my hand that wasn't there before. And a moderately familiar constriction on my arm makes me look...at the bracer from my dream. Something seems wrong, but I can't think about it anymore, as my stomach growls louder. I carefully slice a section of apple, and look up, startled, at a final ringing smash, just in time to see the girl with the ball-and-stick weapons knock the larger girl off of the log. All the women around me cheer as another female climbs on the log. Her weapon looks to be like a steel staff, with an oblong head at the top, also made out of steel. The smaller girl looks at me, and I look down, at my apple.

I stare at the slice of apple in my hand, and I raise it slowly to my mouth. Placing it on my tongue doesn't at first cause my stomach to rebel, but that could just be a trick of my mind. I chew the sweet fruit, and then swallow it and its juices. I sit there, trembling for a second, afraid that my stomach will keep me from eating anything, starving me. After a few seconds, I look down at the apple again, and grin in happiness. Something that will stay down!

I'm about to start cutting another slice, when I hear some shouting from the log. I look up, and both girls there are staring over towards where Father is eating. Surprised, I look around, and all the women around me are glaring at Father. I groan softly, and am about to stand up when a voice beside me speaks up.

"Sit down, and finish your fruit, girl." I look over at the voice, startled, and see a very old woman perched on a gnarled cane.

"But my father..." I try to get out.

"Has caused his own problems, and possibly some of yours as well. Finish your fruit, you have enough time for that before you defend him." The aged woman stares me in the eye...until I nod. "Good," she cackles, "You can listen to your elders, I'll be interested to see how you fare against my Xian Pu," She then hops away on her staff, disappearing into the group around me quickly.

I look up on the log, and the girls there shout something else at Father, before turning to each other and bowing. A split second later they are trading blows fast and furious. I want to watch them, until my stomach growls again. I look down at the apple again, and continue eating it, savouring the tangy sweetness as it settles in my stomach without a complaint.

All that is left is the core and pith, when a resounding crash tells me the girls are done fighting. I set the core on the bench, and try to put the knife there as well, before standing up. I blink as the second my fingers leave the knife it disappears from sight. I then walk over to where Father is stuffing his face, and yell at him, "Stupid old man, didn't you hear the guide tell us this was a tournament? You're eating their prize!" I twitch, knowing that I ate some of it myself, but I set it aside for now.

"Well then, boy, if this is the prize for the tournament, you should enter and win it! Then there aren't any problems, right?" I turn over to the guide, and hear him translating Father's words to the girls around. I almost think he's trying to pull something, as I still get that oily feeling from him and his words.

"Is that what you want, girl?" I turn and look at the elderly woman from before, and then slump.

"I don't want to spend my life cleaning up his messes. I just want to get out of trouble for the last time, and stay out."

The woman stares at me for a minute, and then says something to the girl up on the log. She then turns back to me, "My name is Ku Lon, and you will fight my great granddaughter Xian Pu for the tournament. Do you accept?"

"I do," I smile softly.

"Good, then get up there, and don't hold back." Ku Lon is grinning at me for some reason.

I jump up onto the log, and hear a few startled gasps. I look at the girl in front of me, and then give a full bow, knowing that while my unarmed skills might be better, she easily has at least as much skill with her weapons of choice. So to those who understand as such, I gave her a bow as though to an equal, and held it for maybe a touch longer than necessary. I stand up straight again, and the girl's eyes glint in the light, as she performs her own style of bow. When she is straight as well, I slip into my normal combat stance, and she falls into hers.

We stand there, watching each other, until someone says a single word. I don't know what the word is, but I know what it means, as Xian Pu surges into motion, striking with her ball-and-stick weapons. I duck from the first, twist to the side from the second, and jump over the third strike. I grin for a second, and then just as I land, panic surges through me as one of the balls is heading straight for my stomach. I grab the ball and stop it, maybe millimetres from my skin, and then anger suffuses me.

I drop below the weapon, even as it is pulled back, and then swipe at her legs with mine. A quick hop puts her over the first leg, her legs curling underneath avoids the second, and then we are both standing again. The girl looks at my face for a second, down to my stomach, and back, and I shrug. I then strike out on my own, and wince as the metal of her weapons stop my fists cold for the first three blows.

I jump up, and back, and Xian Pu grins, and then rushes forwards, her weapons readied for another attack. I strike out thrice, once with each hand, pushing her weapons aside, and the third time with my foot, kicking forward and up, knocking her into the air. She hangs there, surprised for a second, before she flips over, getting her feet ready to catch the log at the other end. Surprise again, when she touches down, on the ground, a full length farther from the log than she thought she would land.

I jump down off of the log, and a girl rushes up to me, holding my hand in the air. I look over to Xian Pu, and a mix of sadness and anger clouds her face for a second, until I motion her forward. She steps up, surprised, until I grab her hand, like the other girl did mine, and raise Xian Pu's hand in the air. I grin at her for a second, and then my eyes go wide in shock as the taller girl leans forward to place a kiss on my lips.

My fingers slip up to touch my mouth, as I stare at her.

Until my arm is grabbed by the guide, and he runs, shouting, "Very bad you win, sir, she just give you the kiss of death!"

"What are you talking about?" Father growls at the man as they run.

"Is promise to chase you to the ends of the earth and kill you!"

Fear gives my legs strength that hunger could not, before, as I follow them, running away from her.

------------------

The guide abandoned us half a day later, as we passed the valley of springs. Shirokuro vanished some time after; I hope she didn't get lost. That night, Father wanted to stay in a town, but I put my foot down. "I refuse to pay for your comfort," was the only answer he received.

The next morning, I awoke in my tent, and found an orange, peeled and sectioned, sitting on a silk cloth beside my pillow. Father denied leaving the fruit, even as he tried to steal 'his share' of it (I ate half before asking him, just to settle my stomach first) and no other sign was seen of my mysterious benefactor.

For two weeks, we ran, hoping to outdistance the one who apparently wanted to kill us. For two weeks, I awoke each morning to a small fruit, sliced and sitting on a cloth, waiting for me. After that first day, I never told Father again about the fruit. Thankfully, I could eat without losing my food anymore, no matter how hard Father and I trained in the mornings.

Although, my stomach area seems sensitive recently, and I've been spending a bit more effort to keep from getting hit there, ever.

On the first day of the third week, however, Father decided to again bring up the idea of 'getting over my pain' from what he had done to me before.

Seconds later, and not long ones at that, Xian Pu landed in the clearing, screaming, wielding two big swords, slashing around, with hate and fury in her eyes.

I was VERY glad right then that we had already packed up, and were just about to leave anyways.

Strange, however, that the swords never came close to me. Almost like she was aiming at Father for some reason...

For two days after that, we ran. For those two days, I didn't wake up to my recent morning gifts.

For two days, I couldn't eat a single thing, no matter how tasty it looked, because if I tried, it all came back up again. Father insisted it was a bug of some kind, but I don't know.

We didn't run quite so hard after those two days; Father insists that we lost her. But when we stopped running like the wind itself was after us, I awoke again to little fruit gifts in the morning.

We travelled like that for another month, maybe a bit more. We never stayed in towns, and when we had to restock our food, I had to either trade what few trinkets I had...or I traded my body. I always felt dirty for days after that happened. I would bathe in streams daily, sometimes more, when I could. Thankfully for my sanity, I only had to do that twice.

After the first time, when I was in the stream trying to clean the feeling away, I looked up to see Xian Pu sitting beside my clothes. I was about to run, when she placed something on the pile, and then slipped into the forest. I stayed in the water, freezing, for several long minutes, before taking a chance and slipping up to my clothes.

Sitting on my clothes, were the trinkets I had pawned for food before, and a very small pile of coins.

I never told Father that Xian Pu was still following, after that day.

After that month of long travel, Father and I hired on to a trawler going to Japan. I enjoyed hot baths for the first time on that part of the trip. After the baths, I told Father I didn't want to let my secret out, so I changed back.

I didn't want to tell him I couldn't change back to a boy in the first place.

A week and a half of sailing, of decent an honest work, and we arrived in Tokyo again.

And now...

------------------

"A fiancee?" I look at my father, "You want me to marry someone after all that's happened to me?" The sheer idiocy of the situation has already gone over what I can handle. After a second, I ask, "What about Xian Pu? She's not going to give up, remember. That promise was to follow to the ends of the earth, and we aren't anywhere NEAR the end."

"Stupid boy! Of course she isn't following us anymore. We haven't seen her for at least a month!" I haven't said anything to father about the incident at the stream, and I have no intentions of ever telling him. Father continues, "She won't follow us here for any reason, she'll just tell her village that she killed us and be done with it. Anyways, you need to marry one of my friend's daughters, our family honour depends on it!"

I stare at him incredulously for a second, and then ask, "So, why does honour mean something NOW? Why didn't it mean anything when you were cheating those farmers out of their food?"

"We didn't cheat them," Father glares at me, "We are martial artists, we earn that food just by practicing our art!"

I want to rip his head off, screaming. Almost do I give in to the temptation. Then the moment passes. I take a deep breath, then reply, "Whatever, Pops. I doubt anyone would want to marry me as I am." A woman, not a man. A woman who has been defiled. No, I'm certainly unfit for marriage, Father. You just don't realize what you've done yet.

A quick rain shower takes away Father's humanity, and I again fight the urge to do something stupid. The irony doesn't escape me, now. Here I am, a man who's no longer a man, trained by a man who isn't even human, being promised to another man's daughters. Someone is getting a good laugh at this, somewhere.

After another hour of wandering (I know Father's lost, I've seen that same building three times now) we finally reach what I think is his friend's house. And that only because he's currently walking into the place. A sign beside the gate says 'Tendo Dojo' and another sign underneath it says 'Please take challenges to the back entrance.'

We get up to the front door, and a man, and a teenage girl run up to the door. They stare at Father for a second, and then run back where they came from. Father follows them. After a heartfelt sigh, I slip in after Father, leaving my shoes at the door.

"Hey leave off, old man, you're scaring them," I growl at Father. He looks over his shoulder at me, then waves me forward. I look up at the man before me, he's at least a foot taller than myself, with shoulder length hair, and wearing a black gi. Behind the man are three girls, one tall girl with long hair and a calm expression, another girl, shorter than the first, but still taller than me, has hair cut to just below her ears and she looks halfway frightened, and a third girl, only barely taller than myself, with longer hair, and a furious expression.

"Are these your friends, daddy?" The tallest girl asks in a faintly surprised voice.

When the man shakes his head rapidly, the middle girl sharply demands, "If they aren't your friends then what's a panda doing here?"

Again the man shakes his head, and then Father pushes me around in front him and holds my shoulders. The man slowly leans forward and hesitantly asks, "You wouldn't be...Ranma?"

"Saotome Ranma. Sorry about this." I look away from the man's eager face. What did Father sell me for THIS time?

"So, you're Ranma!" the man cries in joy. He then hugs me close to his body...squishing my breasts against his...that.

"He's cute!" I hear the second girl comment through the man's clothes. Panic is starting to set in as the man squeezes me against himself. Once, twice, three times...and then he pushes me away again, staring at my chest. The middle girl leans close, and then pokes at my breast, and then feels it, all over. "Ranma's not a boy, he's a girl!" she states in outrage. Whether her outrage is real or not doesn't matter to me right now, as MINE is quite real.

I push the girl's hand aside and mutter, "Please ask before playing with my body." Quite frankly, I don't care what Father sold me for this time; I'm leaving as soon as I can find a reasonable place to go to. I look up, to see the man staring at me in shock, and then he keels over in a dead faint.

"Father!" The eldest girl calls out as the man hits the floor.

All three girls pick up the man, and carry him into the dining area, setting a pillow under his head, and a light blanket over him.

"Oh poor Father. He must be so disappointed," The eldest girl sighs, kneeling beside her father. She looks at me in a faintly disappointed manner, and I wonder if it is her, or her father, that she is talking about.

"I'm the one who's disappointed," the middle girl replies in a sulky voice, "I was looking forward to see what kind of man he was. Then I get a look at him, and it turns out he is a girl." She glares at me, even as I drop my head and sigh.

"Leave her alone big sister," This is the first I've heard from the youngest girl, or at least I think she's the youngest, "She came a long way to visit us!"

"Oh look everyone, Father's waking up," Again the eldest girl comments. Does she have any mood other than calm, I wonder.

"It's all your fault, Father!" The middle girl complains, "Couldn't you have checked if he was a boy or a girl?"

Her father replies, "Saotome told me he had been blessed with a son."

The middle girl grabs my breast again, and comments, "What part of this looks like a boy to you, hmm? What part of this?" Several feelings go through me as she squeezes, but one common one is louder than the rest.

Revulsion.

"Will you please ASK first?" I growl, shoving her hand away from me again.

"She's right!" the youngest girl agrees with me, "So what if she's a girl, she's a guest!" She then places her hand on my shoulder and queries brightly, "Hey, would you like to see our dojo?" I look up at her in confusion, and she smiles, "My name is Akane, would you like to be friends?"

A...friend? I haven't had a friend in a very long time. I just hope... "Yes," I whisper, a hesitant smile on my face.

------------------

Akane and I slip into the dojo, and I look around at the calm interior. "You study kenpo, right?" Akane asks me as we step inside. When I nod in agreement, she continues, "How about we have a little match?"

"A match?" I ask, dubiously.

"Yeah! For fun." She grins at me, and then steps into a combat stance. I look at her, smiling, as I stay in my normal 'stance'. It is a stance, that isn't, which is designed to make people underestimate me. It usually works fairly well. "Don't worry, I won't attack you for real."

Akane's arms are in a classic offensive position, and I already know which moves she's limited herself to. For a second, I'm tempted to just dodge everything...

Then I remember. I'm not a boy anymore. Unlike Father, I can't change back.

And because I'm a girl now...

There's nothing really holding me back.

Akane steps forward, throwing a punch...that I jump over. Akane then kicks, and I slip to one side, and a punch goes to my other side. Anger seems to seep into her visage, and with her next punch, I duck backwards, grab her wrist, and fall. Akane seems surprised that I would use a beginner throw, even though I try to make it light.

"You're good," she grins at me as she stands up again, "But you won't do that again!" Her speed starts to increase, and every third attack of hers I would respond with a light punch or kick of my own. She manages to avoid every throw I try to set her up for, but she doesn't avoid my other strikes.

I think she's getting a little better as she tries to hit me, and so, just as she sets herself for a real punch...

I block the punch, and wince as even with my strength, her strike shoves my blocking hand back into my shoulder. The push she gives me with her punch gives my rotation a bit more strength than I intend, as I return the punch in kind, striking her collarbone. Unlike her strike, mine goes through unopposed, and Akane falls to the ground with a thump.

Akane starts laughing, and I join in with a quiet giggle. As she stops, she stands up again, "You're pretty good," She comments, smiling, "I'm just glad you're a girl." I blink at her in confusion, with a wordless query slipping from my throat. She shrugs, "Well, I just couldn't stand losing to a boy."

Akane steps out of the dojo, leaving me behind. With my thoughts of what once was, and might never be again.

------------------ 


	3. Arrival

This is a warning to everyone: This story is very dark, and not likely to become bright and happy any time in the near future. Also, this story is not work safe in any way, shape, or form. Herein is a story of mature subject matter, if you don't think you can handle the idea of sex, violence, rape, and other aspects of pain, put this story aside, go elsewhere, and read happier stories.

Disclaimer: All rights of all the characters herein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and the various syndicates that publish her works. I am but a poor writer that doesn't get paid for her work.

---------------

Shadowed Edge writing

Presents

Black Dreams

By Shadow Dancer

Chapter 3

------------------

"I just couldn't stand losing to a boy." Her words run around in my head, and I don't know whether I should scream, cry, or just shut down. Here I am, having a good time sparring with a friend...and she just declares that she would hate who I once was.

Well, she didn't say hate, per se, but she did say she couldn't stand losing to a boy. And all that I was, all that I am, is male.

My stomach rumbles and twists, and I hastily swallow a taste of bile. It's been several hours since we came off of the ship, and I've not eaten since then. Also, the morning fruit gifts stopped the day we left port, but somehow I've been able to eat while on the ship.

I just hope I can still eat now.

I never did figure out why I feel sick like this, nor why I need to eat fruit in the morning, to keep anything down all day. I doubt Father would know, but maybe a doctor here...

I step out of the dojo, and the oldest girl steps up to me with a towel and some bathing supplies, "Here, you should take a bath." she comments to me, smiling.

"But, I..." I stammer quietly. I don't want to have a bath in a strange house. I don't even know how long Father and I will be here.

Probably just long enough to steal something from them. Just like he always has.

"You've been exercising, haven't you?" She comments again, and I feel trapped by the suggestion.

I nod hesitantly, and then whisper, "I prefer to bathe alone." I look up at her smiling visage.

"Just remember to put the occupied sign out, and you should be fine." Again that vapid comment and smile. I just hope I don't get into more trouble...

I nod again, and then slip into the house, padding nearly silently into the bathing area.

I strip off my clothes, and put the sign up on the inner door, and then proceed to scrub down. I scrub, and scrub...and it isn't until the sting of torn skin that I realize that I'm trying to scrub away the sticky, dirty feeling of being used. Again.

Blood slowly wells along my legs, and I sniffle softly. I trace my fingers along my legs, over the area scrubbed raw by my own strength, and then look up as I hear the door opening.

The Inner door.

I turn, and look up in fear, dreading that it is the guide, or someone else...

No, it's only Akane, who looks at me in surprise. "You're bleeding!" she exclaims, as I hastily pull the towel over my body again, concealing me from her sight. "Hang on, let me help."

"Get out." The words are ugly, terrible things. They feel as dirty as I do. Akane stares at me in shock, and I repeat, "Get out. I don't bathe with others."

Akane is glaring at me now, "We're both girls, it shouldn't be a problem. It saves on water this way too."

"You know what privacy is?" I keep my eyes on her face, and I can feel the fear and fury both whipping around inside of me, it's hard to focus on one or the other...

"We're both girls." she repeats, as if that is an answer to everything.

I glare at her for another second, and then pick up the rinse pail. I put the towel off to the side, wash the soap and blood off of me, and then pull the towel around myself again. "Forget it," I mutter, slipping past her, "You go bathe, I'm done."

"But the furo...?" Her anger has died down at my responses, but mine hasn't.

"I don't care. I'm leaving." Words of finality, I hope she understands how much she hurt me just now.

I doubt it.

"Well fine!" she growls, slamming the door shut behind me, "See if I care!"

Tears trickle down my cheeks as I pull my clothes back on, and step out into the hall again.

"That wasn't very nice of you." I hear from beside me. I look around, and notice the middle Tendo sister standing beside the entrance to the bathroom.

"Is it any nicer for her to barge in on me, when I wanted privacy?" I reply coldly. I think she must be very good at sneaking around, I didn't even sense her there. She doesn't show much martial ability though.

A faint smirk crosses her face as she replies, "Possibly. Your Father is in the family room waiting for you." I look at her for a second, wondering what she's thinking. I then shrug and walk around her, wiping the tears from my eyes so father doesn't see.

------------------

Father glares at me as I step into the family room and demands, "Why haven't you changed back yet?" there is a hint of fear in his eyes; I wonder what he's thinking?

I shrug as I kneel at the table, "I didn't see the need to. Not like we're going to be here long, right?" Come on, Father, tell me what your plot is for this place.

"Soun Tendo is an old friend of mine. We trained together under the same master." he stumbles over the word, and I wonder what he's afraid of this time. He continues, "Sixteen years ago, Soun and myself decided to unite the two schools of Anything Goes in marriage. As you can see, Soun was blessed with three daughters, and you, my son..."

I interrupt him, "And I'm to marry one of them, without even knowing their names. Right. Did you tell your so called friend what training you put me through?" I stare into Father's eyes until he flinches and turns away, "I didn't think so. I think you should tell him, before this goes any further."

"How dare you treat your Father so!" oh, fun, one of Father's rants again, "After all that I have done for you to train you to be the best martial artist..."

Again I interrupt, "Thankfully, you didn't finish some of that training." I growl at him. Father, startled, stops mid-tirade. I notice out of the corner of my eye that one of the Tendo girls is watching. Fine, they need to know this as well. I continue, "So are you going to tell your friend about the places you had me 'trained' at?" A gasp from outside the door fails to catch Father's attention, "Oh, you might tell him. But knowing you, you'll try to say you paid for it, instead of selling me to them. How do you think any of them will react to being given a fiancee who isn't pure?"

Father snarls, "I won't tell him, and neither will you. That is in the past, and a failure on your part. If you hadn't panicked like that."

I snort, "If I hadn't panicked? Pops, you left me there for two days. I wasn't panicking, I was being assaulted."

"A martial artist must be prepared to give his life for the art!" Father gets out, glaring at me, "He must be prepared to take whatever is necessary to learn his skills."

"My life, yes," I growl in return, "My manhood is another story. But the point is moot, now." Father blinks at my response, and is about to speak again when the Tendos start filing into the room.

Soun and the girls kneel at the table. The eldest girl looks worried; she must have been the one who was listening. The middle girl still has that smirk on her face, as though she knows everything. Well, she thinks she does at least. And Akane is glaring at me, probably due to my comments in the bathroom.

Soun turns to his daughters and starts to introduce Father and I, "So, everyone, this is my good friend."

"Genma Saotome." Father looks almost regal as he declares his name. Almost, Father turns and continues, "And this is my son."

I look at the girls, "Ranma." I state. The middle girl looks incredulous, as though she believes that we are lying to her. Akane sits and fumes, while the eldest girl just stares at us with a slightly vacant smile on her face.

"I can't believe this," Akane growls, "You are obviously female, how can you be this man's SON? A BOY?" Her voice rises in volume and pitch as she finishes, nearly screeching out the last. I wince at the tone in her voice, and sigh. She snarls at me in fury, "What happened to your pet panda, anyways?"

Father speaks up, "That is a long and sad tale. The boy and I were travelling in China, and we found a training ground called Jusenkyou in the Quing Hai province along the Bayankala Mountains. The boy insisted we fight among the pools..."

I snarl, "Get it right Pops. You were the one who jumped to the poles first, and ignored the guide." I glared at Father until he started to sweat.

"Yes, yes, very well. I jumped to the poles to begin training, and when Ranma attacked..." I continue to glare at him, and he stutters, "Err, umm, I attacked Ranma while he was talking to the guide, knocking him into one of the pools. In fury, Ranma chased me into another one."

I snarl, "Forget it. I found a knife or something at the bottom of the pool, and when my idiot Father was moaning about me never being a 'man among men' whatever that is, I took a swing at him. He was startled enough to jump back into one of the pools, and the pool turned him into a panda."

"Yeah right," Akane snorts, "Like we could believe a story like THAT." I raise an eyebrow, and then accidentally drop my glass of water on Father. Instant panda. I smirk at everyone's open-mouthed stare.

"As I said, Father turned into a panda when he landed in the pool. The pool I landed in turned me into a girl." I shrug, "Father turns back into a human with hot water."

The middle daughter smirks at how I put it. She doesn't say anything however. Soun does, though. "Well, your problem isn't so bad. These are my daughters, Kasumi, nineteen, Nabiki, seventeen, and Akane, sixteen. Choose one to be your fiancée."

I stare at the man incredulously for a minute, and then Nabiki speaks up, "Oh, Akane would be best for 'him'." I can hear the smirk oozing throughout her tone.

"Well, if you think that way," I decide to turn the tables, just because, "Then maybe I should choose you? You seem a smart girl, whereas Akane is merely violent." Nabiki gets this startled look in her face that is surprising, considering how calm and composed she's been so far.

The look disappears with another smirk, "Hmm, that is true. So, are you a lesbian?"

I blink at Nabiki, confused, "What is a lesbian?"

Nabiki's smirk grows into a grin, "Why, a lesbian is a girl who likes other girls. That IS what you are, right?"

I jump back in shock, "Hell no, I'm a guy!" That stops me for a second, and I sit down, "I used to be at least." Tears threaten to fall from my eyes as I remember...

Father snarls at me, "Grrr growf grrr grr!" it takes him a second to realize that he's not in human form yet. Idiot.

I'm pretty sure I know what he's trying to say though, "I don't know why, but I haven't been able to change back. One of the people we met might have been able to tell me why, but Father managed to do something to piss them off, and I doubt we are welcome there again. Just like everywhere else." I look down at the ground, dejected.

I hear soft footsteps walk out of the room, then back in again. A splash, and Father yells, "It need not be that hot Tendo!" I know what is coming, and unless I hold still, I doubt they'd believe...

Searing hot water falls upon my head, soaking my hair...my stomach wrenches and I curl protectively around it.

"It's true," Kasumi comments softly, "She wasn't lying."

Akane starts to snarl, "So what are you? You are a girl, and you say you were a boy. You're nothing but a PERVERT!"

"Now Akane," Kasumi replies soothingly, "It's not nice to call people names. You don't even know if Ranma is a pervert, you're just..."

"She saw me naked in the bathroom." Akane snarls in return, glaring at me.

I glare back at her, snarling, "I've had enough. You walked in on me in the bathroom, not the other way around. And I had the occupied sign up, which you ignored. If anything, YOU'RE the one who's a pervert. And what's this about wanting to be my friend, anyways? You just act like it, and then when you've got what you wanted, you turn around and say you hate me, and everything about me. Of all the friends I've had before, you've lasted the shortest. And it was your own fault as well."

"Why you..." Akane stands and stomps around the table, raising her hand back behind her head.

Some part of me, a small part, believes that she's still a friend. A friend who has the right to hit me for what I've done... Then there's the other side of me, the side gaining strength and momentum. Akane wasn't ever a real friend; she just went through the motions and then stopped.

Akane's hand swings down, and I watch it in slow motion as I reach up with my hand. Gold, silver and steel glint from the fingers that wrap around Akane's wrist long before her hand gets close enough to land. I watch as her face slips from fury, to confusion, to pain. Seconds pass, maybe minutes. I don't know how long it takes before I remember the deal I made with that weapon. I watch as Akane stumbles back, confused and hurt, at things that only she can see.

"I...I didn't say that." she whispers in denial, shaking her head and landing on her knees.

Soun starts yelling, "What did you do to Akane? Let her go you monster!" Apparently he is ignoring the fact that I've already let go, from the point that Akane fell to her knees. Nabiki also looks furious, and Kasumi, well, she looks rather calm, all things considered.

Words tumble from my mouth, but it isn't me saying them. "From the pain you choose to give, I gift back to you in turn, if you learn your lessons then, you will understand that which you have sown." I look down at the bracelet and rings on my hand, and whisper, "She didn't know." forgetting for a second that other people are close enough to hear me.

Nabiki's reply tears my gaze away from my hand, "Of course she didn't know, how could she? You didn't tell her anything, and then you let her take a swing at you." Nabiki's glare seems to get past my defences, and almost I reply in heat.

Then another voice intrudes upon my thoughts, a voice not mine, but familiar, "Target did not know, confirmed. All day, confirm?" I try to reply silently, 'Deny all day. Once only.' The voice reverberates between my ears, "Pain returned once only, situation 'did not know', confirmed. Command ignition." I stare at the rings as they flash with the words. Seconds pass, and I realize that everyone around me is silent, but for heavy breathing from Akane. Then...

"You bastard." someone snarls, not Nabiki or Soun. I look up into Akane's eyes as she glares at me in fury, "You complete and utter bastard. You are nothing but a pervert. You probably enjoy your 'new' body." Her words rip at my heart, and the sarcasm in her accusation hurts more, "What did you do to convince your Father to pretend you're a male, huh? You make me sick!"

Soun calms down a lot when he realizes that Akane is paying attention to everything again. Soun laughs, "Well, that's not a problem then. As we are joining the two schools of Anything Goes, I say we should engage Akane to Ranma, what do you say, Genma?"

I answer before Father can say anything, "No."

Soun stares at me, "Wha-wha-what? What do you mean, no?"

I glare at him, "I mean no. I refuse to be engaged to someone who thinks I am a pervert. No matter what I did, I did for honour. If she can't accept that, I cannot accept her. I don't think I could accept Nabiki, either. She seems rather quick to attack me as well. How about you, Kasumi, shall we make it three for three?" I look over at the oldest girl, looking into her eyes. Almost daring her to say something.

Kasumi returns my look calmly, asking only, "What did you do for honour?"

I look at her silently, and then lower my eyes. Staring at my hands, I reply, "I paid for my father's greed the only way I could. He had no money to give, and I only had things given to me by people who trained me. When that ran out...I did what I could."

"Did you steal?" her words are kind, soft. I don't know how she can be like this, almost no one has ever been kind to me before.

"No, I didn't steal," I reply with a shudder, "I..."

Nabiki speaks up, "That's enough, we don't need to know any more."

Akane snarls yet again, "I told you, she's a pervert."

"Now Akane," Kasumi admonishes, "What have I told you before about assuming things? For all you know she could be a perfectly nice girl, and you accusing her of being a pervert could be hurting her."

I sigh, "I'm a boy, Kasumi. Or at least I used to be. And I don't think I'm a pervert. I just...did what needed to be done."

Father laughs, "That's my boy! So, you're going to choose Akane, right?" The tone of menace in his voice would work much better if he had been able to back it up. I'm his meal ticket, after all; he can't afford to do too much damage to me.

I glare at Father and reply, "No. If you two were so set on joining the schools, then you should have made sure that any of your friend's daughters would accept me. Akane doesn't accept me, and the other two don't practice, or at least don't practice very often." I continue to glare at Father until he looks away.

Father coughs and turns to Soun, "Well old friend, we can train up one of your other daughters to help join the schools, right?"

Soun glares at Father, "I don't know if I could condone engaging one of my daughters to your daughter, friend. For all we know you could be trying to pull a fast one on us. That IS how our master taught us after all." Soun looks at me askance, and then focuses on Father again, "We can let you stay here, for now. Until we know for certain that Ranma is what you claim, we will put the engagements aside. They should make efforts to know each other, however, and if your claims should prove true, we will make the engagement official."

Nabiki smirks at me as she comments; "Now daddy, you should know better than that. This is the twentieth century, arranged marriages just don't happen anymore!"

Soun confidently replies, "Arranged marriages did happen sixteen years ago, and that is when this was arranged. You wouldn't go against you family's honour, now would you?"

"Like a pervert like her could have honour!" Akane snarls. Suddenly I find myself wishing that the rings hadn't touched her...or that I had let her deal with it. Maybe I'll let it continue next time, if she pushes the issue again.

I stare at Akane, and then lower my eyes. I try to keep my voice calm as I ask, "What makes you think I'm a pervert, Akane? Tell me honestly, why do you think that?"

Akane yells, "You came here trying to get married to another girl! That's what makes me think that! And then you come up with this lame excuse that you used to be a boy until some stupid cursed spring, and now you can't change back. How are we to believe that when you can't even prove it!"

"I...I..." I find myself unable to reply as I'm faced with a rather awkward question.

Suddenly, my stomach growls, and Kasumi brightly comments, "Oh my, I think it's time for dinner." Silently I thank her for the interruption. And I am rather hungry, as I haven't eaten anything since the ship. My stomach roils uncomfortably as I think about that last meal...

Everyone sits in silence as Kasumi brings food and plates out to the dining room. I continue to think about a way to prove that I am what I say I am, but it's hard. Without being able to change back, I really have no way to prove myself. The delicious aroma of the food being brought in makes my mouth water, and my stomach grumbles louder.

"Hey, Ranma?" Someone calls in a quiet voice.

I look up, "What?" I reply, confused. Nabiki seems to be the one who called me, apparently, and she just waves in a 'never mind' manner. I shrug, and look at the food again, holding back from attacking the food like Father usually does by sheer will. I want to be polite, they are taking care of us after all. Father, on the other hand, doesn't wait much past the food hitting the table before he starts eating.

I wait until the Tendos all say, "Let's eat." before filling my plate. Father's already on his second helping, now. Everyone is eating the food with great enjoyment, and I raise my first bite to my lips. The rice is barely touching my tongue when my stomach lurches. I quickly put my chopsticks down again, and then stand up. I struggle to keep my stomach from rebelling as I quickly walk to the bathroom, and I'm only barely over the toilet when I start throwing up.

I'm at the toilet for probably five minutes when I hear someone come in. "Are you alright?" Kasumi asks quietly.

I look up at her from my kneeling position, and whisper, "I don't know. I...I just can't eat anything." I'm sure tears are dripping from my eyes, so I brush at them with my hand. My fingers come away wet...it figures. "I don't know why this is happening." I mutter softly, looking down again.

"How long has this been happening?" Kasumi gently inquires.

I shrug, still looking down at my hands, "A couple months. I haven't been able to eat much since my change...I was fine when we were on the boat, and before that fruit would help. But...before I was had the fruit in the mornings, I couldn't keep anything down."

Kasumi stands there silently for a minute, and then asks, "Did you have sex?"

I stare at my fingers, thinking. Should I tell her everything, or not? What can she do, really? Hate me? After a minute, I decide to put it all on the line, "Pops...he ate a lot. We ran out of food several times on the way back, and I refused to steal. I paid at first with what few valuables we had, and Pops never kept money long enough to spend on food, it was always alcohol. So when the valuables ran out...I paid the only way left to me."

Kasumi kneels beside me, and touches my cheek, pulling my head around to look at her in the eye, "When was your last period?"

I stare at her confusedly for a minute, and then ask, "What's a period?"

Kasumi looks at me shocked, and then tries to clarify, "You know, your bleeding time? It happens every month to girls from puberty on."

I shake my head, replying, "Umm, I don't know what you're talking about. I've only been a girl for two months, I didn't grow up knowing these things like you."

Kasumi blinks, "You've only been a girl for two months? So you've never bled from down there?" she points to my female spot with a faint blush on her face.

I blush even more when I shake my head, "No, never. What does that mean anyways?"

Kasumi stares at me, and then asks, "So you don't know what happens when a girl has sex with a man?"

I look down at my hands again, whispering, "Other than the man having fun, and me feeling dirty afterwards, no. I have no idea what you're trying to tell me."

Kasumi stares at me in shock, and then stands up again, "I'm sorry, you'll have to speak to the doctor about this." Her voice is cool, almost cold. Quite unlike the smile and perkiness from earlier.

I don't know what I did, but I hope I can make amends, "I'm sorry." I whisper.

Kasumi just sniffs, then stalks out of the bathroom. There's nothing else to call it, her footfalls are still quiet, but her entire body has an air of...fury.

I continue to stare at my hands, then whisper, "That's two now. If Nabiki starts hating me..." I don't want to think about it. This is the first place I've been invited in to stay for a while. Maybe when everything is decided, things can be different.

Yeah, right. In my dreams, and not very likely ones at that.

"You'll have to excuse my sister," I didn't even hear Nabiki walk up. Not surprising, really. She continues, "I'm afraid that Kasumi has rather strong opinions on the idea of sex before marriage. I seriously doubt she'd marry you now, with what you told her."

I sigh, then look up, "Yeah, I kinda figured as much, Nabiki. Can YOU tell me what's going on? Do you know why I'm so sick?" I'm grasping at anything that makes sense right now, I feel adrift and alone. I don't like this feeling.

Nabiki replies, "Yeah, I have a guess. You would want to talk to a doctor, however, just to make sure. Do you honestly not know what a period is? Have you never had a monthly before?"

I shake my head, "No, I don't even know what you're talking about. Pops never told me anything about that, and he tended to keep me away from having female friends." I grumble, "Not that he let me have many MALE friends either, but at least there were one or two."

Nabiki smirks, "Well, speaking of friends, can you tell me what school you went to before?"

I shrug, replying, "Otokouri Academy, over in Ota." Nabiki looks at me in surprise for a second, then down at my chest. I smirk, "I didn't have these four months ago, Nabiki. I was a man...or at least male."

Nabiki returns the smirk, "You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe you for now. And the name you used there was...?"

I shrug, "Ranma Saotome. Same name I've used all my life." I look back down to the toilet, just in time for the remainder of my stomach crawl up my throat and out my mouth. I spit out the remaining bile, then ask, "Again, what does it mean that I'm sick like this? You have an idea, please tell me."

Nabiki shuffles her feet for a second, then replies, "It means you may be pregnant."

I blink owlishly, then shakily ask, "What do you mean, pregnant?" I'm honestly confused at that. Only girls can get pregnant, right?

Nabiki blinks back, "Are you for real?" When I nod, she sighs, "You definitely have to talk to our doctor then. I don't believe this."

I whimper as the idea works its way through my head, "But...I can't be pregnant. I'm not a real girl!"

"You sure look like one to me." Nabiki replies, smirking.

I shake my head, "No, this body was made by that curse. I can't be pregnant...I just can't!" I can't seem to stop thinking about that one word, "I'm too young to be a daddy..." I trail off, looking at Nabiki hopefully.

Nabiki shrugs, saying, "Yeah, well I could be wrong. It's happened before," under her breath she whispers, "about ten years ago," I don't think she meant for me to hear that, she continues again in a normal voice, "but you could just be really sick. Doctor Kurokina would be able to tell you for certain, though." Nabiki smirks again, and then comments, "Anyways, you wouldn't be this kid's father. You'll be its mother."

That little bit if information proves to be too much for me. I let the shock wash over me, bringing blessed unconsciousness with it.

------------------ 


	4. Confusion teaser

"You know, Nabiki," the doctor states quietly, her face looking rather green, "just because you CAN stick your hand through a person's chest, does not necessarily mean you SHOULD."

I look at Nabiki's hand on my shoulder, then over at the doctor, and ask, "What are you talking about, Doctor Kurokina? Her hand is on my shoulder..."

Doctor Kurokina blinks, looks at me, then mutters, "Stupid reflections. I could almost swear that I heard a girl's voice." She looks at me and then asks, "So, are you a boy or a girl? You sure LOOK like a boy to me."

Nabiki blinks, and then asks, "With a chest like hers?"

The doctor smirks, "Yeah, with a chest like his, it'd be hard to see a girl. What do you see when you look at 'her'?"

Nabiki smiles, "I see a busty redhead, about fifteen centimetres shorter than me, who's completely confused right now. You?"

The doctor barks a short laugh, "I see a black haired boy, about sixteen years old, I think. And he is fifteen centimetres TALLER than you, Nabiki-chan."


End file.
